Ford Claims 85 Percent of 2011 Explorer Is Recyclable; BMW Using More Aluminum
By Scott Doggett August 5, 2010
Ford Motor Co. announced today that 85 percent of its 2011 Explorer SUV, which will go on sale later this year, is recyclable.
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Ford said in a statement that it is minimizing waste by making Explorer's noise-dampening fender baffles, which fit between the vehicle's outer shell and its inner structure, from steel left over after stamping the door openings out of F-150 body sides.
The reuse allows Ford to reduce its use of virgin steel by an estimated 119 tons for one year of production. Using less virgin steel also reduces CO2 emissions by approximately 119 tons. That's about the same amount emitted by a mid-sized car driving the circumference of the Earth 14 times.
While 85 percent sounds impressive - and probably is impressive - the official average for vehicle recycling is 80 percent. So the new explorer is 5 percent better than average. Doesn't seem like much, but the final percentage of anything is usually harder to come by than the initial percentage.
The Explorer also uses 25 percent recycled fiber in its interior fabrics, including seat upholstery, bolster and carpeting. The automaker says its use of recycled fiber instead of virgin fiber results in an estimated 20 percent reduction in energy consumption, 17 percent waste elimination and 14 percent reduction in CO2 emissions for the Explorer's seating materials.
Moreover, the new Explorer is the latest Ford vehicle to feature 40 percent soy polyurethane foam in seat cushions and seatbacks. Ford said it remains committed to using the bio-based material in nearly 100 percent of its North American vehicle lineup by the end of the year.
Soy foam has helped Ford reduce its annual petroleum oil usage by more than 10,500 barrels, and is up to 24 percent more renewable than petroleum-based foam. The use of soy foam also has helped Ford reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 11 million pounds - the annual equivalent of 965 typical American households.
Meanwhile, Ford says the all-new Explorer has impressive fuel economy, but mileage figures for it have not been announced.
BMW Favors Aluminum
Also this week, BMW announced it is looking to use more aluminum and less steel in its vehicles going forward to improve fuel efficiency and increase sustainability.
Indeed, carmakers the world over are on a mission to reduce the weight of cars to promote fuel efficiency. Aluminum is helpful in that regard and is fairly sustainable - more than 90 percent of aluminum in the transept sector is recycled.
BMW spokesman Frank Wienstroth said this week that the automaker has begun introducing aluminum doors and hoods as well as casted structural components in its lineup. BMW is also looking to plastics and carbon-fiber laminates to reduce weight, he said.
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